Rotor for chopping residue from combines

ABSTRACT

The rotor of a residue-chopping unit for combines cuts wider paths by virtue of the provision of laterally corrugated blades for increasing the amount of surface area in the knife-like edges which contact the residue during rotation of the rotor, all without appreciably increasing the masses of the blades. Each blade is shaped to concentrate the mass thereof at its outermost free end outside its center of gravity. A vane on certain of the blades creates an increased airflow through the chopping unit.

United States Patent 1191 Gaeddert [451 Fel). 20, 1973 [54] ROTOR FORCHOPPING RESIDUE FROM COMBINES [75] Inventor: Melvin V. Gaeddert,Newton, Kans.

[73] Assignee: Hesston Corporation, Hesston,

Kans.

[22] Filed: Oct. 6, 1970 [211 Appl. No.; 78,446

[52] Us. c1 ..146/1o7,146/123 .lnt.l'i 'l'"'flff' 'Iflffl'jllfllA. '[58]Fieldiof search...146f117, 121, 138, 102 A,

14s/102 K, 14s/107; 241/291 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,521,687 7/1970 Gaeddert ..146/117 R 1,120,270 12/1914 Brussolo..146/102 A 3,402,897 9/1968 Willems ..241/291 X Primary Examiner-WillieG. Abercrombie Attorney-Schmidt, Johnson, Hovey & Williams [5 7]ABSTRACT The rotor of a residuechopping unit for combines cuts widerpaths by virtue of the provision of laterally corrugated blades forincreasing the amount of surface area in the knife-like edges whichcontact the residue during rotation of the rotor, all withoutappreciably increasing the masses of the blades. Each blade is shaped toconcentrate the mass thereof at its outermost free end outside itscenter of gravity. A vane on certain of the blades creates an increasedairflow through the chopping unit.

12 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ROTOR FOR CHOPPING RESIDUE FROM COMBINESThis invention relates to combine attachments for chopping residue suchas wheat straw, corn stalks, cobs and other threshed material and, moreparticularly, to improvements in the rotor assembly of such attachments.

Itis the primary object of the instant invention to improve upon thechopper attachments disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,186 dated May 30,1961 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,521,687 dated July 28, 1970, both of which areincorporated herein by reference, as need be, for a better understandingof my present invention.

Conventional hammer mills using several rows of steel hammers revolvingat high speed are commonly used as grinders for pulverizing feeds andother products. They are also used as crushers to break up suchmaterials as ores, rock and coal by the impact of the swinging hammershinged to the rapidly rotating shaft of the rotor.

Because of the relatively high speeds at which the rotor assembly ofresidue chopping units should be rotated to effect proper chopping,shredding or cutting of the residue, it is desirable to maintain themass of the individual chopping elements of the rotor below a certainselected level. This facilitates balancing of the rotor so as to avoiddamage to the chopping unit through excessive vibration at high rotorspeeds. On the other hand, it has been found that the best chopping andshredding results are obtained when the impact surface area of theelements engaging the residue is maximized.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to increasethe impact surface area of each chopping element of the rotor without acorresponding increase in the mass of the element, while at the sametime maintaining a knife-like cutting edge and providing a low costchopping element that can be quickly and easily produced by modern metalstamping and forming methods.

A nother important object of the instant invention is the provision ofmeans on a number of the chopping elements for increasing the volume andvelocity of the residue-carrying current of air flowing from the residueoutlet of the combine and through the discharge of the chopping unit forpropelling the chopped residue through the discharge with adequate andsustained velocity.

A further important object of the invention is to provide substantiallytriangular chopping elements having increased masses at their outermost,free ends whereby to decrease the tendency of the elements to yield uponimpact with the material being cut.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view through a portionof a combine equipped with a residue chopping unit having a rotor thatembodies the principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, elevational view of the rotor inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the rotor taken along line 3-3 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the mounting structure for each choppingelement; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken alongline 5-5 of FIG. 2.

A rotor l0 is disposed across the outlet of a hood l2 of a combine forreceiving residue coming from strawwalkers 14. Included within the hood12 may be structures for rebounding and deflecting heavy corncobs andstalks in the nature of a hanging, flexible baffle 16 and a series ofsaw-toothed, angle deflectors 18 as taught in my said U.S. Pat. No.3,521,687. Baffle 16, deflectors 18 and a V-shaped deflector 19 extendentirely across the hood l2 and are coextensive in length with the rotorl0.

The rotor 10 is located within a housing 20 suspended beneath the hoodl2 and cooperates with a series of upstanding concaves 22 on oneinterior wall of the housing 20 to thoroughly chop and shred residueemanating from the walkers 14 during operation, and to discharge thechopped residue through the open lower end of housing 20 for subsequentengagement by spreader fins 24. An axle of rotor 10, broadly denoted bythe numeral 26, comprises a central elongated shaft 28 which is adaptedto be journaled by suitable bearings within the sidewalls of housing 20,and a tubular hub 30 which surrounds the shaft 28 and is coaxialtherewith for rotation in the direction indicated by the arrow inFIG. 1. A plurality of elongated, free-swinging, substantiallytriangular-shaped chopping elements or blades 32 are spaced along theouter periphery of hub 30 in staggered rows by a mounting structure 34for each element 32 respectively.

Each of the reversible elements 32 may be easily stamped and punchedfrom a relatively thin sheet of metal and formed with a corrugated bodyportion 36 between its inner and outer ends 38 and 40 respectively and aflat shank 42 between the body 36 and the inner end 38. The corrugatedbody 36 presents a number of parallel, alternately concave and convexcorrugations 44 which extend across each element 32 parallel toltheouter end 40, the longitudinal boundary of the outermost of thecorrugations 44 defining the outer end 40 of the element 32 and theinnermost of the corruga tions 44 merging with the' shank 42.

The corrugations 44 pressed into the body 36 terminate in undulatingimpact edges 46 having effective residue-engaging widths that extendfrom the convex side of each corrugation 44 to the opposed, convex sideof adjacent corrugations 44 as shown most clearly in FIG. 2. Certain ofthe elements 32 are provided with an elongated, flat sheet metal vane 48welded to trailing edge 50 of the body 36 and extending from the outerend 40 to the shank 42. The remaining elements 32 may be mounted witheither of their edges 46 or 50 leading, or reversed when wear dictatesthe advisability of such reversing.

Each element 32 is individually secured at its inner end 38 to the axle26 by its own separate mounting structure 34 for swinging about an axisparallel to and spaced radially outwardly from the shaft 28. Eachstructure 34 for each individual element 32 includes a pair of opposedsaddles 52 (which may also be quickly and inexpensively stamped, formedand punched from sheet metal) having a flat radial panel 54 in tumprovided with a pair of integral, opposed, planar, lateral legs 56 whichstraddle the hub 30. The inner edge of the panel 54 has an arcuatecutout portion which is disposed to complementally receive the arcuateperipheral surface of hub 30. Each of the legs 56 and the panel 54 arewelded to the hub 30 along its lines of contact with hub 30, whereby thelegs 56 hold the panels 54 radial to the hub 30 and strengthen thepanels 54 so as to permit the use of relatively thin, lightweight,inexpensive sheet metal stock. The legs 56 diverge as the surface of hub30 is approached at a tangent thereto in order to provide a sturdy basefor the element 32 saddled on the hub 30.

The mounting structure 34 also includes a pivot bolt 58 interconnectingthe opposed panels 54 of a pair of the saddles 52 and projecting througha bushing 60 in the shank 42 of a corresponding chopping element 32. Theclose spacing of the opposed panels 54 limits lateral movement of theelement 32 along pivot 58 for the full extent of its swinging movement,while the spaced-apart nature of the panels 54 permits freeswinging ofthe element 32 about the bushing 60 during rotation of the rotor l0.

Rotor may also be provided with a balance ring 62 on the hub 30 at eachend thereof having a series of circumferentially spaced holes 64. Eachring 62 may be held in place by substituting a longer bolt 58a for thepivot bolt 58 of proximal mounting saddles 52 and inserting a weightedspacer 66 between the ring 62 and panel 54 of one of the selectedsaddles 52.

During rotation of the rotor 10, the free-swinging elements 32 extendradially from axle 26 by centrifugal force, and the leading impact edge46 of each element 32 strikes residue emanating from walkers 14 to chopand literally tear apart or thoroughly disintegrate each individualparticle of the residue along its length as the element 32 passesbetween concaves 22. The laterally undulating nature of edge 46 assuresthat an increased amount of residue surface area will receive the impactforce of each element 32, while the outer surfaces of the laterallyextending corrugations 44 pass through the residue and, to a certainextent, tend to abrade the latter in conjunction with concaves 22 toproduce the desired shredded and lacerated condition of the residue.This results in faster decomposition of the residue and thereby speedsup the transfer of vital soilbuilding nutrients from the residue intothe ground. It

' will be appreciated that the maximization of the residue surface areaengaged by impact edge 46 has now been obtained without an increase inthe total mass of each element 32 and, further, that corrugations 44reinforce the elements 32 so that they may be readily constructed fromlightweight sheet material which permits rapid, low-cost fabrication.

The increased mass of body 36 only, by use of corrugations 44, and theprogressively increased width of blade 32 as its outer tip edge isapproached, concentrate the mass outside of the center of gravity,thereby de creasing the tendency to yield on impact. The impact edges 46have an appreciably greater effective lwidth than the thickness of themetal from which the blades 32 are produced, presenting impact surfacesthat are quite adequate in total area without need for thick, heavy andexpensive bars as is common practice in hammer mills, for example.Moreover, the total length of each edge 46 is increased by use of thecorrugations 44.

ln certain instances it may be desirable to remove the spreader tins 24and attach an enclosed delivery tube (not shown) or the like to thedischarge of housing in order to accumulate the chopped residue ratherthan spread the latter on the ground. In this event, the vanes 48provided on certain of the elements 32 are particularly beneficial increating a residue-carrying current of air flowing from the outlet ofhood 12, through the housing discharge 20 and into the delivery tube.This assures that the chopped residue issues from discharge 20 withsu'icient velocity to be carried through the tube and thereby eliminatesthe need for an auxiliary blower attachment. lt has been found, forexample, that if nine blades 32 (three at each end and three at thecenter of the rotor 10) are provided with vanes 48, such is normallyquite adequate. K

The special saddle-like construction of the element mounting structure34 along axle 26 assures that the elements 32 are rigidly and safelysecured to hub 30. This manner of construction increases the stabilityof rotor l0 during rotation and resists shock-loads on the choppingmechanism which may occur when slugs or ,solid objects i are encounteredduring chopping. Further, the aligned legs 56 of the saddles 52 serve torebound and deflect residue which tends to pass through housing 20 nearhub 30, thereby assuring that the residue is properly chopped by impactand between the corrugated body portions 36 of elements 32 and theconcaves 22.

Centrifugal forces acting on the blades 32 will not pull the structuresoff the hub 30 nor will they be torn loose from the hub 30 by the impacton the material being chopped. Individual mounts 34 permit attachment ofthe blades 32 to the hub 30 in any desired random location without needfor exact alignment by any series or row of bolts 58. Bushings 60, bolts58 and blades 32 may be easily and quickly replaced individually withoutneed for taking entire assemblies apart each time that but a few smallparts require replacement. Damage to any certain blade 32 or its mount34 by rocks and the like in the residue will not necessarily damageother components as has been the problem in prior chopping units now incommon use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a residue chopping rotor provided with an axle mounted forrotation about its longitudinal axis, a plurality of elongated,individual chopping plates, each having an inner end, an outer end, aleading impact edge and a trailing edge opposed to the leading edge,said edges extending between said ends, and structure pivotally securingthe plates adjacent their respective inner ends to the axle forindividual, edgewise swinging movement about axes in spaced parallelismto th'e axis of rotation of the axle,wherein the improvement comprises:

providing each plate with a corrugated, relatively thin, sheet materialbody having a number of alternately concave and convex corrugationsextending laterally of the plate from said leading edge toward saidtrailing edge and transversely of a radius from the pivotal axis of theplate to its outer end, at least said leading edge of each plate beingundulated and having an increased length and an increased effectiveresidue-engaging width that is substantially greater than the thicknessof said material, said edge extending from the convex side of onecorrugation to the opposed convex side of an adjacent corrugation, and

spacing said plates along the axle so that, as the axle is rotated, eachplate has the full length and the full, effective width of said leadingedge of the body effecting an edgewise chop of residue presented to therotor while the corrugations, in trailing relationship to said leadingimpact edge, pass through the residue, to thereby thoroughlydisintegrate the latter.

2. The invention of claim l, wherein said corrugations of each plate aresubstantially parallel with one another and with said outer end of theplate.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein a number of said plates are eachprovided with a vane intermediate the inner and outer ends thereof forcreating a residue-carrying current of air when the axle is rotated.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said corrugations are elongated,the outermost corrugation of the body having a longitudinal terminusthat defines said outer end of said plate,

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein each plate is provided with a shankintermediate said body of the plate and said inner end thereof, theouter end of said shank merging with the innermost corrugation of thebody. I

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein a number of said plates are eachprovided with a vane secured to the trailing edge of the plate extendingfromthe outer end of the plate to the shank thereof for creating aresiduecarrying current of air when the axle is rotated.

7. The invention of claim 3, wherein each of said vanes is mounted onsaid trailing edge of its'plate projecting outwardly from the plane ofthe plate.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein each vane extends outwardly inopposite directions from the plane of its plate.

9. ln a residue chopping rotor:

a rotatably mounted axle;

a plurality of individual chopping plates each having an inner and anouter end, and a pair of opposed, normally leading and trailing edgesextending between said ends;

means mounting said plates adjacent their respective inner ends on theaxle at spaced locations therealong for edgewise rotation with the axleto thereby impart an edgewise chop to residue presented to the rotorwhen the latter is rotated; and

an airflow-producing vane on one or more of said plates mounted on saidtrailing edge thereof and extending outwardly from the plane of theplate to impinge air otherwise slipping past the edgewise rotatingplates.

l0. In a rotor as claimed in claim 9, wherein each vane projectsoutwardly in opposite directions from the plane of its plate.

l1. In a rotor as claimed in claim 9, wherein each vane is elongated andplanar in configuration extending along said trailing edge of its platefrom said outer end thereof toward said inner end thereof.

l2. In a rotor as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said plates iscorrugated laterally from the leading edge toward saidtrailing edgerendering said leading edge undulated.

1. In a residue chopping rotor provided with an axle mounted forrotation about its longitudinal axis, a plurality of elongated,individual chopping plates, each having an inner end, an outer end, aleading impact edge and a trailing edge opposed to the leading edge,said edges extending between said ends, and structure pivotally securingthe plates adjacent their respective inner ends to the axle forindividual, edgewise swinging movement about axes in spaced parallelismto the axis of rotation of the axle, wherein the improvement comprises:providing each plate with a corrugated, relatively thin, sheet materialbody having a number of alternately concave and convex corrugationsextending laterally of the plate from said leading edge toward saidtrailing edge and transversely of a radius from the pivotal axis of theplate to its outer end, at least said leading edge of each plate beingundulated and having an increased length and an increased effectiveresidue-engaging width that is substantially greater than the thicknessof said material, said edge extending from the convex side of onecorrugation to the opposed convex side of an adjacent corrugation, andspacing said plates along the axle so that, as the axle is rotated, eachplate has the full length and the full, effective width of said leadingedge of the body effecting an edgewise chop of residue presented to therotor while the corrugations, in trailing relationship to said leadingimpact edge, pass through the residue, to thereby thoroughlydisintegrate the latter.
 1. In a residue chopping rotor provided with anaxle mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, a plurality ofelongated, individual chopping plates, each having an inner end, anouter end, a leading impact edge and a trailing edge opposed to theleading edge, said edges extending between said ends, and structurepivotally securing the plates adjacent their respective inner ends tothe axle for individual, edgewise swinging movement about axes in spacedparallelism to the axis of rotation of the axle, wherein the improvementcomprises: providing each plate with a corrugated, relatively thin,sheet material body having a number of alternately concave and convexcorrugations extending laterally of the plate from said leading edgetoward said trailing edge and transversely of a radius from the pivotalaxis of the plate to its outer end, at least said leading edge of eachplate being undulated and having an increased length and an increasedeffective residue-engaging width that is substantially greater than thethickness of said material, said edge extending from the convex side ofone corrugation to the opposed convex side of an adjacent corrugation,and spacing said plates along the axle so that, as the axle is rotated,each plate has the full length and the full, effective width of saidleading edge of the body effecting an edgewise chop of residue presentedto the rotor while the corrugations, in trailing relationship to saidleading impact edge, pass through the residue, to thereby thoroughlydisintegrate the latter.
 2. The invention of claim 1, wherein saidcorrugations of each plate are substantially parallel with one anotherand with said outer end of the plate.
 3. The invention of claim 1,wherein a number of said plates are each provided with a vaneintermediate the inner and outer ends thereof for creating aresidue-carrying current of air when the axle is rotated.
 4. Theinvention of claim 1, wherein said corrugations are elongated, theoutermost corrugation of the body having a longitudinal terminus thatdefines said outer end of said plate.
 5. The invention of claim 1,wherein each plate is provided with a shank intermediate said body ofthe plate and said inner end thereof, the outer end of said shankmerging with the innermost corrugation of the body.
 6. The invention ofclaim 5, wherein a number of said plates are each provided with a vanesecured to the trailing edge of the plate extending from the outer endof the plate to the shank thereof for creating a residue-carryingcurrent of air when the axle is rotated.
 7. The invention of claim 3,wherein each of said vanes is mounted on said trailing edge of its plateprojecting outwardly from the plane of the plate.
 8. The invention ofclaim 7, whereIn each vane extends outwardly in opposite directions fromthe plane of its plate.
 9. In a residue chopping rotor: a rotatablymounted axle; a plurality of individual chopping plates each having aninner and an outer end, and a pair of opposed, normally leading andtrailing edges extending between said ends; means mounting said platesadjacent their respective inner ends on the axle at spaced locationstherealong for edgewise rotation with the axle to thereby impart anedgewise chop to residue presented to the rotor when the latter isrotated; and an airflow-producing vane on one or more of said platesmounted on said trailing edge thereof and extending outwardly from theplane of the plate to impinge air otherwise slipping past the edgewiserotating plates.
 10. In a rotor as claimed in claim 9, wherein each vaneprojects outwardly in opposite directions from the plane of its plate.11. In a rotor as claimed in claim 9, wherein each vane is elongated andplanar in configuration extending along said trailing edge of its platefrom said outer end thereof toward said inner end thereof.